Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to electrosurgical instruments used for open and endoscopic surgical procedures. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus with multi-circuit seal plates, method of manufacturing multi-circuit seal plates and methods of sealing tissue with multi-circuit seal plates.
Description of Related Art
Electrosurgical forceps utilize mechanical clamping action along with electrical energy to effect hemostasis on the clamped tissue. The forceps (open, laparoscopic or endoscopic) include electrosurgical sealing plates that engage tissue and deliver electrosurgical energy to the engaged tissue. By controlling the intensity, frequency and duration of the electrosurgical energy applied through the sealing plates to tissue, the surgeon can coagulate, cauterize, and/or seal tissue.
During an electrosurgical procedure, seal plates deliver electrosurgical energy and/or heat to tissue. Ideally, the seal plates evenly distribute energy and uniformly heats tissue positioned between the seal plates. The seal plates and varying tissue properties and thicknesses can result in uneven distribution of energy, uneven heating and generation of hot zones within or between the sealing plates. As a result, the uneven distributed of energy may result in a longer duration sealing procedure and/or may result in a low-quality seal.
Additionally, a surgical procedure may often require several energy delivery sequences. The seal plates are heated during each electrosurgical energy delivery sequence and the time between each electrosurgical energy delivery may be insufficient to cool the seal plates. As such, thermal energy may accumulate during subsequent energy delivery sequences thereby resulting in a higher than desired temperature for the seal plates and a higher than desired temperature of tissue positioned between the seal plates.